Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- Four suspected al Qaeda
militants were killed in Saturday night when a U.S. drone struck their
vehicle in southern Yemen, four Yemeni Defense Ministry officials said.
Residents in Abyan province described a powerful explosion.
The latest strike comes
amid Yemen's campaign to uproot al Qaeda and its offshoot Ansar al
Sharia from the country. Officials hailed the strike, calling it a
success in the efforts to wipe out al Qaeda.
The province's Mahfad district has been one of the most targeted districts in Abyan by U.S. drones over the past two years.
"The militants have been
tremendously weakened over the last year," said AbdulSalam Mohammed,
president of the Sanaa-based Abaad Strategic Center. "Abyan was the
backbone of the militant group, while today it is under the control of
the Yemeni government."
Last year, the government
intensified its offensive against al Qaeda after political turmoil in
2010 saw al Qaeda militants takeover the majority of Abyan province.
Upon coming to office in 2012, President Abdurabu Hadi vowed to fight al
Qaeda until its members are killed or surrender to the government.
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